The figure from the Japanese tourist office is quite telling: 80% of tourists who visit Japan settle for Tokyo and Kyoto, and the majority in March-April for the famous cherry blossom season.
If the appeal of these two cities is undeniable, it is essential for institutions to distribute visitors over space and time, especially when the government maintains the objective of 60 million visitors in 2030.
However, art is intrinsically linked to tourism.
Certain tourist places are also closely linked to artists, for example Van Gogh embodies Baux-de-Provence.
And who hasn't wanted to visit Miyajima after seeing the print (ukiyo-e) of the famous painter Kawase Hasui?
teamLab Planets in Tokyo, the new darling of tourists keen on interactive art.
According to the 2023 results, approximately one in ten tourists who visited Japan visited TeamLab Planets.
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The Setouchi region, commonly called the "Mediterranean of Japan", includes, among others, the magnificent prefectures of Ehime which we visited this time, Kagawa, Okayama and several other surrounding prefectures, has more than 3,000 islands of varying sizes .
Enough to offer an almost infinite tourist range.
Over the past decade, the Setouchi Triennial has established itself as an international benchmark for artistic tourism.
Here are our recommendations for fans of modern or classical art to fully enjoy a short stay from Tokyo.
The “Niomon” of Ishite-ji Temple Public Domain
A day in Matsuyama: the pearl of shikoku
Matsuyama being the capital of Ehime Prefecture, it is very easy to get there.
Whether by ferry from Hiroshima (70 minutes minimum) or Miyajima, or by plane (direct flight operated by ANA in around 1h30 from Tokyo).
Despite its ease of access, it is a destination that is not (yet?) a popular and favored place among tourists coming from abroad.
And yet, the town of Matsuyama is the perfect embodiment of tourist expectations linked to the Japanese archipelago: a castle (one of the last 12 authentic castles, whose dungeon has remained intact since its reconstruction in 1852), onsens (the Dogo Onsen hot spring served as inspiration for the sets of Hayao Miyazaki's animated film
Spirited Away
) and an Ishite-ji temple, 51st on the list of 88 temples of the Shikoku pilgrimage and even a distillery sake and beer.
Renovation work on Dogo Onsen will be completed in 2024 Public Domain
The hot springs district known as Dogo Onsen still seems stuck in the Meiji era.
Sumptuous wooden building, bordered by a shopping hall rich in both restaurants (special mention for the surprising Dogo no Machiya which offers seasonal coffees or burgers) and merchant stalls.
A dragon watches over the entrance reserved for the Emperor Public Domain
Near the gallery, the Dogo Onsen Honkan is reputed to be the oldest onsen in Japan where even emperors and gods come to bathe.
The Shinden bath is even reserved for the emperor and has its own private entrance.
But no emperor has stayed there since Hirohito in 1952.
This place, currently under partial work (only one of the baths is accessible until the end of the work in July 2024), is open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. (last entry at 10:30 p.m.), a time range which is not very binding.
The entrance to Ishite-ji temple Public Domain
Continue walking to Ishite-ji temple, “the hand stone temple” whose name comes from a legend according to which a rich merchant, Emon Saburo, refused to make a donation to Kukai (also known as by Kobo Daishi) and would also have broken his bowl.
After these events, the merchant lost a child every year, until the eighth year when all his children had perished.
Struck by this tragedy, the merchant traveled the pilgrimage to the 88 temples of Shikoku 20 times in search of the famous monk.
Only on his deathbed can he atone for his guilt and wish to become a better person in his next life.
A year later, in the Kono family, a little boy was born who held a stone in his hand with the name “EmonSaburo” engraved on it.
Many deities watch over the temple Public Domain
This legend is one of the reasons for the popularity of this temple, the most visited of the 88. But the temple is full of other treasures which justify its visit.
Numerous pavilions, statues from all Buddhist repertoires (even Indonesian, which is quite rare), two caves to explore with a temple inside the cave.
There is even soil from the other 87 temples on the pilgrimage, so that you can go around more easily if you don't have the health or time to do the real route.
In terms of blessings, it is one of the “richest” temples, in fact more than ten pavilions carry a different blessing: back pain, foot pain, knee pain, happy future…
Visitors leave a 5 or 50 yen coin to pray.
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Finally, the temple gate, this famous Niomon guarded by the alpha and omega, 700 years old, is one of Japan's national treasures.
It is decorated with two giant hand-woven sandals into which visitors wedge a coin to pray for the good health of their feet.
To make a wish, you must take a stone from the temple, write thanks for happiness on it and return to place it a year later with 7 other virgin stones.
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If you visit the temple, when you stop in front of the main pavilion, chant this prayer “On korokoro sen dairi matoûgi sowaka”.
Ehime and the Shimanami Kaido
The entrance to the Shimanami Kaido trail on the Ehime side Public Domain
If you talk to a Japanese person about Ehime Prefecture, there is a good chance that they will mention the city of Imabari.
It is the second largest city in the prefecture, famous above all for its artisans and factories specializing in the manufacture of… towels.
Imabari produces 50% of Japan's towels.
Its castle, whose moat is connected to the sea, is also a major point of attraction... But what particularly interests us today is Shimanami Kaido.
This circuit, whose starting (or ending) point is the port city of Imabari.
It connects with the help of 7 bridges the 6 islands which separate Imabari and Onomichi (on the mainland).
This 70 km route crosses two prefectures and at each stage it is possible to rent or return a bicycle to change means of transport (boat, car).
View of Shimanami Kaido after 15 minutes of cycling.
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The circuit is peaceful with breathtaking scenery, short fragments are roadside, but the majority of the route is protected and separated from road traffic.
Two spots are a must-do, first of all, stop for lunch at the Yoshiumi Iki-iki establishment, this seaside estaminet is a real hidden treasure.
At first glance, you expect an ordinary canteen, but the food is incredibly fresh and meticulously prepared.
Nestled in the heart of a small port, the Yoshiumi Iki-Iki restaurant offers a most bucolic view.
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They extensively use products from regional production, including olive oil with its intoxicating scent.
The Kirosan observatory allows you to appreciate the route offered by the Shimanami Kaido Public Domain
And the Mount Kiro observatory.
The latter, designated by Kengo Kuma, offers a remarkable view of the Shimanami Kaido trail.
This platform, semi-buried, blends into the decor sparingly.
The famous architect Kengo Kuma signed another construction in the surrounding area: the Itomachi 0 hotel. A hotel which is self-sufficient in energy and water.
For water, the city of Saijo is famous in Japan for being a place above a rich water table, you can notably come across pumps everywhere in the center of the city.
The water is drinkable and very mineral, its temperature oscillates between 13.5 and 14°C throughout the year.
The hotel's design efforts made it Japan's first zero-energy hotel to receive ZEB certification.
A perfect place to stay in communion with nature.
In this region, note that the Saijo Town Festival is held from October 15 to 16 each year, and offers more than 80 stalls for visitors.
Have a glass of umeshu or sparkling sake in the garden of Itomachi 0 Hotel while enjoying the sunset Public Domain
Every two years, the Shimanami Bridge is reserved for a 100% cycling event.
The next meeting for this great gathering of lovers of the little queen is in October 2024.
The Setouchi triennial: modern art a second wind for depopulated places?
Benesse Art Site Naoshima was born from the meeting between Tetsuhiko Fukutake, founding president of Fukutake Shoten (at the time), who wanted to create a place where children from all over the world could gather on an island in the Seto Inland Sea, and Chikatsugu Miyake, at that time mayor of Naoshima, who dreamed of developing an educational cultural zone on Naoshima.
Tetsuhiko Fukutake died suddenly in 1986, and his son Soichiro took over his ideas, leading to the current project.
In 1989: opening of the Naoshima international campsite.
In 1992: opening of the Benesse House Museum.
Japan, the country capable of making everything cute.
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But it was in 2010, under the leadership of Fram Kitagawa - a pioneer in regional community art projects - that the Setouchi triennial was born.
Very quickly, this meeting, which includes the Benesse project, became an unmissable event, both for Japanese and foreign tourists.
In 2019, there were nearly 1.2 million visitors to the 12 islands which host artistic and cultural projects.
The island of Naoshima, a pioneer of contemporary art in the region, has become the international image of the triennale.
Four museums and around ten installations make it an unmissable place of pilgrimage for any art lover.
You can stroll around the island on foot or rent a bike when you get off the boat.
A single ticket gives access to all the works of the Art House project.
The islands of Naoshima, Teshima and Inujima are of course open outside the “Setogei” period.
Yayoi Kusama's famous “Red Pumpkin” pumpkin greets visitors from the landing stage Public Domain
Upon arrival at the landing stage, Yayoi Kusama's famous pumpkin sets the scene.
In the center of the island, the yakisugi (burnt cedar) houses have an undeniable charm and among them, several have become perfect cocoons for hosting contemporary works.
Sensory experiences that combine art, nature and heritage invite the viewer to take a step back in their way of appreciating tourism.
The abandoned houses covered with “yakisugi” (burnt wood to protect against insects and the sea air) have been transformed into settings for artistic installation projects.
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The Benesse House park is open to the public and you can find another pumpkin (yellow) by Yayoi Kusama as well as numerous installations by Niki de Saint Phalle.
View of a room at the Benesse House Hotel Public Domain
Spending a night at Benesse House (hotel) will allow you to appreciate the different brightness of the island.
The sunrise from its balcony, bathing the bay in a soft shimmering breath, is worth setting the alarm a little early, even if it means going back to bed straight away.
The hotel's museum is incredible, but the jewel of the island is the Chichu Art Museum.
Designed by Tadao Ando to house a permanent exhibition of paintings by Monet, the latter is 80% buried in the hill.
The design of the place perfectly matches the local roughness and offers a perfect setting to fully appreciate the works on display.
The museum is as much a work of art as the treasures it contains Public Domain
The only downside is that photos are prohibited in some of the exhibitions.
The island of Inujima, which depends on Okayama prefecture, is a former industrial installation specializing in copper extraction, previously preceded by granite rock quarries for the construction of castles including that of Osaka.
With the end of this industry, the local population increased from 5,000 inhabitants in 1900 to 34 in 2023... And the majority of these inhabitants are elderly.
Thanks to the Benesse Art Site Naoshima, the island of Inujima is enjoying a second life.
Created by Yukinori Yanagi and Hiroshi Sambuichi, the Inujima Seirensho museum sublimates the former Daici Ano copper refinery
The architecture of the Inujima Seirensho Art Museum, built on the site of the former Inujima Refinery, was designed by architect Hiroshi Sambunichi with a strong connection to the environment.
Thus, ventilation is carried out by natural convection, and the majority of the installation is made up of local recycled materials.
The space entrusted to the artist Yukinori Yanagi highlights the famous author Yukio Mishima.
A laudatory dive into the master's universe with a mobile made up of old pieces from the author's childhood home.
For the artist, the choice of Mishima, anti-industrialization and capitalism muse on this island, the high point of modernity and capitalism, is a way of strengthening the power of the people over Art.
Beyond the museum, the island offers numerous facilities in several repurposed houses.
Yusuke Asai, famous for his tribal approach and love of deer, involved local people in the creation with magnificent illustrations made with road sign paint.
Yusuke Asai's outdoor installation on the remains of an old house.
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Finally, once you have toured the facilities - allow two hours minimum - relax in the English garden designed by Kazuyo Sejima and Akarui Heya while waiting for the return ferry.
This selection is only a small glimpse of the richness that the Seto Islands offer.
A region still a little far from mass tourism and yet quite accessible, both from Tokyo and Hiroshima.
The lake of the old open-air stone quarry Public Domain
Practical information
You can start your excursion via Matsuyama or Okayama.
The first is accessible by plane in 1h35 with a departure from Haneda via ANA, for the second choose the shinkansen which provides the connection in 3h10.
Once there, you can rely on the dense train and bus system, or rent a car.
For the triennial islands, the easiest way is to take a boat from Takamatsu.